Video: Extending the canvas and adding elements

Now that we have merged these two images together, let's work on cleaning up the background. To do that let's create a new layer, and let's create a new layer by way of a shortcut. This is a handy one. Press Shift+Command+N on a Mac, Shift+ Control+N on Windows. This way we can name the layer while we create it. We'll call the layer cleanup and click OK. Next step, press the S key to grab your Clone Stamp tool. All that we are going to do here is simply Option or Alt+Click and then paint in the background over this transparent area, just to fill that in a bit.

In Photoshop CS5: Creative Compositing, Chris Orwig demonstrates how to take photographs to the next creative level by combining images in Photoshop. This course covers multiple compositing scenarios, including portraits and architecture photos, from selecting the images, to blending photos with layer masks and blend modes, and resizing and sharpening the results. Chris also covers tips and tricks design to inspire and increase the drama and interest of photographs. Exercise files are included with this course.

Extending the canvas and adding elements

Now that we have merged these two images together, let's work on cleaning up the background.To do that let's create a new layer, and let's create a new layer by way of ashortcut. This is a handy one.Press Shift+Command+N on a Mac, Shift+ Control+N on Windows. This way we can namethe layer while we create it.We'll call the layer cleanup and click OK.Next step, press the S key to grab your Clone Stamp tool.All that we are going to do here is simply Option or Alt+Click and then paint inthe background over this transparent area, just to fill that in a bit.

Make the brush a touch bigger there, Option or Alt+Click, and then just goahead and paint that in.We are just painting in the background.This background isn't perfect but this will be a nice starting point for us.Over here, I'll Option or Alt+Click far away, and that way I can then click andbring this in to paint over that background there. Nice!Make the brush nice and small, Option or Alt+Click, and just work on this littlearea, just clean up some of these little details at the bottom of the hand.Also Option or Alt+Click here and just clean up that little blemish that we'reseeing. We're just looking to reduce and simplify anything that's distracting.

Next step, let's grab the Healing Brush.And with the Healing Brush we'll do the same thing where we Option or Alt+Clickin order to set our source area.And then we just go through and we try to reduce any blemishes that we think are distracting.A lot of times there is a good idea to heal on top of the areas that you've clonedbecause that can bring in some nice texture and just help this look really good.All right, well so far so good. Our background is nice and clean. Let's evaluate.There is before and after.Well, the next thing I want to do is I want to have some flexibility with this highlight.

I might want to remove that.So let's create a new layer.Press Shift+Command+N on a Mac, Shift+ Control+N on Windows and let's name thisnew layer highlight.Next step, click OK.Here what we'll do is use the Healing Brush once again.And with the Healing Brush we're just going to go and make sure we have alllayers turned On so we can Heal or Clone to these new layers as we're doingthis, and I'll make my brush a little bit smaller, Option or Alt+Click, and justlook to try to bring out some of this highlight that we have here.

The great thing about this is because this is on a separate layer, it's not onour cleanup layer, we can then have some flexibility with this.Let me show you what I mean.Well we can remove this or bring back the highlight.We can also lower the opacity just to kind of take the edge off the highlight alittle, in this case, maybe just tapping that down a bit or for that matterremoving it all together.We can make that decision at any stage of our progress.All right, well here, we've accomplished our cleanup work. There is our before and after.

We're ready to now make some enhancements, in regards to the bullet,the overall color and tone.And we'll take a look at how we can do that next.

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Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

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Learn by watching, listening, and doing! Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along. Exercise files are available with all Premium memberships.
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